KennysFord Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 hi all. i thought some of you might be able to shed some light on this bass. i got it from the states last year.It was advertised as an early 80's MM copy.Its called a Riverhead,made by Headway and made in Japan. Ive been trawling the net on and off and up to now ive discovered that headway is connected in some way to baccus,a plus i think and that Riverhead are best known as far as i can tell for their headless basses. Theres no serial number showing,i havent removed the neck so far to check.Other than that it looks like its a maple neck with a satin finish and rosewod fingerboard,not sure what the body is.Its a Double H and it sounds like the bass from Hell....in a good way.Tone to die for really and it plays a dream. Can you guys shed any more light on it for me.Its not for sale but a "ruff" valuation would be helpfull. Thanks in adavance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hi - there's not much out there about Riverhead/Headway - although what you've found out is right, their best-known bass was the early 80s Unicorn series headless, with a body shape that was a knockoff of the old Burns Flyte. I've never seen their MM copy before (in fact, I've never seen [i]any[/i] vintage MIJ MM copy before!) but there's no reason to believe it's not what it claims to be - many Japanese copies & interesting oddities were never exported, and this could be one such. Value is really difficult - the Ebay hordes will pay good coin for old Japanese stuff with the right name on the pointy end & be a bit distant about stuff they're not too familiar with, regardless of quality. I'd probably be inclined to hedge my bets & say £200 - £300 might be the ballpark - but with something as obscure as this it's pure guesswork anyway. Although I may be well off the mark - just did a little searching & found this: [url="http://www.musicsolutionsstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=870&products_id=3805&sid=11409f4c75ed4dad40afe158753a65f4"]http://www.musicsolutionsstore.com/product...0afe158753a65f4[/url] Obviously it's not the same bass, but it's clearly a close relative - yours might not be an 80s instrument. I wonder if trawling Japanese dealers might be of more use to find an approximate value & ID. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Pete, and now you know who the pup from the Ibanez went to......... ^ One of our resident Jap bass experts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Ooooooh....I want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 (edited) Thanks bassassin, i appreciate your efforts very much,i'd agree that it it certainly looks like a close familly member,if nothing else its great to see another bass with the same headstock. i could be mistaken about the rosewood board,it could be ebony but im no expert.Over the last year ive had it and after countless inspections the quality of workmanship really is very good indeed, especially on the neck.My teacher loves it !! I payed about £450 for it after shipping and customs charges but hey,im over the moon with it.I dont know if its the HH pickup arrangement but its more than a match for my Sterling HS in the volume stakes.I have to turn both my practise and main amp down a notch or two when i plug him in hehe. Cheers. Burpster, Just by chance i found the very thread that mentions that same pick up hopefully he'll find this thread. thanks again guys, you made my day. oh cool,im no longer a noob,awesome. Edited April 6, 2008 by kennyrodg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 interestin bass, welcome to the forum mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 [quote name='BassManKev' post='170810' date='Apr 6 2008, 05:53 PM']interestin bass, welcome to the forum mate![/quote] why thankyou sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 There's another interesting Riverhead bass on Ishibashi [url="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=5066&print=1&keys2=tachikawa%40ishibashi%2Eco%2Ejp&tid=list3"]here[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Thanks BigRedX., now there's a a trio It might just be me but from the looks of the last two links these Riverheads look like pretty good basses. A nice bump for the feelgood factor. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Hi guys, i can vouch for the quality of riverhead i have played my full scale unicorn for well errrr since i bought it new in 1873, before the factory burnt down, i have had and played many other basses and still my unicorn is all i need in a four string. when i bought it i had the neck flattened, high quality fret wire installed, two EMG's, and EMG circutry (basically 2 pre-amps) installed, i am a lead bassist so i needed to do what i did for easier speed, but i have yet to find another stringed instrument with a longer sustain than this one has. and it has that GROWL even when the strings start dying. I love my Bass, regards Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Errr, ok, thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 [quote name='steve-soar' post='1058375' date='Dec 14 2010, 07:44 PM']Errr, ok, thanks for that. [/quote] I was Simply stating that the original Riverhead brand is a great quality alternative. Is that a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 You bought it new in 1873? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 [quote name='hhoward' post='1058285' date='Dec 14 2010, 10:32 AM']since i bought it new in 1873, before the factory burnt down,[/quote] [i]I[/i] thought it was funny - considering the rubbish that people talk about old Japanese basses. Always wanted a Unicorn - you hardly ever see them though. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 [quote name='steve-soar' post='1058576' date='Dec 14 2010, 10:39 PM']You bought it new in 1873?[/quote] Obviously that was a joke suggesting that i am not a kid, that it has been with me a long time, i am sure that even the bluntest tool in the shed would be aware that no human living today would have actually been around at that time, and that also riverhead were not producing electric light bulbs at that time, let alone bass guitars. Anyway, to anyone reading this, i will not make anymore humorous comments in future just so our friend steve will not get confused. lol All cleared up now steve? Gosh, besides all this, i am glad this site exists, this is my first bass site and my first day on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='1058585' date='Dec 14 2010, 10:45 PM'][i]I[/i] thought it was funny - considering the rubbish that people talk about old Japanese basses. Always wanted a Unicorn - you hardly ever see them though. Jon.[/quote] Thanx Jon, i was starting to wonder if i needed to slow down my humor button or something there is only one decent full size unicorn for sale that i have seen and that is on ebay, cant remember the country though, last i seen it was up to around$600 with 4 days to go, i think three days now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 [quote name='hhoward' post='1058644' date='Dec 14 2010, 03:39 PM']Obviously that was a joke suggesting that i am not a kid, that it has been with me a long time, i am sure that even the bluntest tool in the shed would be aware that no human living today would have actually been around at that time, and that also riverhead were not producing electric light bulbs at that time, let alone bass guitars. Anyway, to anyone reading this, i will not make anymore humorous comments in future just so our friend steve will not get confused. lol All cleared up now steve? Gosh, besides all this, i am glad this site exists, this is my first bass site and my first day on it. [/quote] Sorry, thought you were a spammer or some kind of nutter. Yours Confused of Basschat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='steve-soar' post='1058815' date='Dec 15 2010, 02:42 AM']Sorry, thought you were a spammer or some kind of nutter. Yours Confused of Basschat.[/quote] No Problems, basschat is lucky to have someone like you deciding who is worthy and who is not I am but a humble bass playing western australian reaching out into the unknown to comunicate with other bass players, perhaps to glean a little wisdom that i am lacking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='hhoward' post='1059239' date='Dec 15 2010, 04:36 AM']No Problems, basschat is lucky to have someone like you deciding who is worthy and who is not I am but a humble bass playing western australian reaching out into the unknown to comunicate with other bass players, perhaps to glean a little wisdom that i am lacking [/quote] Welcome Howard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHUFC BASS Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I used to own two Riverhead Unicorn basses. A black one and a electric pink one, both of which were given to me. They were OK basses, very light and portable but lacked real bottom end I though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1059301' date='Dec 15 2010, 05:15 PM']Welcome Howard![/quote] Hi Musicman, and thankyou for the welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='1059310' date='Dec 15 2010, 05:28 PM']I used to own two Riverhead Unicorn basses. A black one and a electric pink one, both of which were given to me. They were OK basses, very light and portable but lacked real bottom end I though.[/quote] Actually my unicorn has a lot of bottom end but as i said, i have emgs plus circuitry built into it and i do not remember how it was before, perhaps that was why i changed the pickups, however it cooks and always has, you should have kept those unicorns they are increasing in value all the time, Football? i take it you mean Aussie rules football, perhaps you are right about that but i would not tell those guys that because i think the shortest AFL players come to around 6'4" they just look short on TV because they are strongly built Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Welcome to the site, hhoward. Any thoughts on the cricket? Ponting being gobby on telly, but can't help but feel he's not the guy to get your lot playing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhoward Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 [quote name='Gust0o' post='1059517' date='Dec 15 2010, 09:29 PM']Welcome to the site, hhoward. Any thoughts on the cricket? Ponting being gobby on telly, but can't help but feel he's not the guy to get your lot playing again.[/quote] Hi Gust and thankyou for the welcome, now it is feeling a little more like a family here which to me is what we are (at least most of us) especially us bass players lol I look at it this way, we did not invent the game, and loss is ultimately the refresh button (or motivator) for the future. but things change quickly also, i agree ponting can be like that, but if you've ever heard the amount of sledging that goes on in a cricket match (unfortunately the aussies are the most notorious for it) then ponting is being gentle as you would no doubt agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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